Bag For a Beverage Bottle

ABSTRACT

A bag for a beverage bottle can include a bottle compartment and a bottle stabilizer in the bottle compartment. The bottle compartment can have a bottom surface and one or more side walls at least partially defining a vertically oriented opening operable to receive a beverage bottle. The bottle stabilizer can have a bottle interface portion configured to interface with a side of the beverage bottle. The bottle stabilizer can be coupled to at least one of the side walls such that the bottle interface portion is positioned between the top and bottom ends of the side walls to interface with the lateral side of the beverage bottle when a bottom of the beverage bottle is in contact with the bottom surface of the bottle compartment.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/165,840, filed Mar. 25, 2021 which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

People often carry a variety of items with them when away from home. For certain activities, such as going to a gym or a health club, people typically bring items such as a bottle (e.g., for water or a sports drink), a towel, a wallet, a purse, a mobile device (e.g., a phone or a tablet), keys, etc. These items are often carried in a gym bag, backpack, or other type of duffel bag, some of which include a dedicated bottle holder.

SUMMARY

A bag for a beverage bottle can include a bottle compartment and a bottle stabilizer. The bottle compartment can have a bottom surface and one or more side walls at least partially defining a vertically oriented opening operable to receive a beverage bottle. The one or more side walls can have a bottom end proximate the bottom surface and a top end opposite the bottom end. The bottle stabilizer can be oriented in the bottle compartment having a bottle interface portion configured to interface with a side of the beverage bottle. The bottle stabilizer is also coupled to at least one of the one or more side walls such that the bottle interface portion is positioned between the top and bottom ends of the one or more side walls to interface with the lateral side of the beverage bottle when a bottom of the beverage bottle is in contact with the bottom surface of the bottle compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a first side view of a bag for a beverage bottle in accordance with an example of the present disclosure, showing items that may be carried by the bag.

FIG. 2 illustrates the first side view of the bag of FIG. 1 , without any items.

FIG. 3 illustrates a second side view taken opposite the first side of the bag of FIG. 1 , without any items.

FIG. 4 illustrates a first end view taken from the right side of the bag of FIG. 1 , without any items.

FIG. 5 illustrates a second end view taken from the left side of the bag of FIG. 1 , without any items.

FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of the bag of FIG. 1 , without any items.

FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of the bag of FIG. 1 , with items that can be carried by the bag.

FIG. 8 illustrates a bottom view of the bag of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the bag of FIG. 1 showing an adjustable bottle stabilizer in a bottle compartment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the bag of FIG. 1 with a bottle in the bottle compartment.

These drawings are provided to illustrate various aspects of the invention and are not intended to be limiting of the scope in terms of dimensions, materials, configurations, arrangements or proportions unless otherwise limited by the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that various changes to the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is presented for purposes of illustration only and not limitation to describe the features and characteristics of the present invention, to set forth the best mode of operation of the invention, and to sufficiently enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is to be defined solely by the appended claims.

Definitions

In describing and claiming the present invention, the following terminology will be used.

The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a storage compartment” includes reference to one or more of such storage compartments and reference to “the side wall” refers to one or more of such side walls.

As used herein with respect to an identified property or circumstance, “substantially” refers to a degree of deviation that is sufficiently small so as to not measurably detract from the identified property or circumstance. The exact degree of deviation allowable may in some cases depend on the specific context.

As used herein, “adjacent” refers to the proximity of two structures or elements. Particularly, elements that are identified as being “adjacent” may be either abutting or connected. Such elements may also be near or close to each other without necessarily contacting each other. The exact degree of proximity may in some cases depend on the specific context.

As used herein, “bottle” refers to a rigid or semirigid container typically designed to contain a liquid, such as a beverage. A bottle can be of any suitable type or configuration, such as a mug, a carton, etc. Some bottles may have a generally cylindrical shape and others may have a comparatively narrow neck or mouth. A bottle may or may not include a handle or a straw. Typically, a bottle is made of plastic, glass, or metal (e.g., stainless steel), although a bottle can be made of any suitable material, such as paperboard.

As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary.

As used herein, the term “at least one of” is intended to be synonymous with “one or more of.” For example, “at least one of A, B and C” explicitly includes only A, only B, only C, or combinations of each.

Numerical data may be presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. For example, a numerical range of about 1 to about 4.5 should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited limits of 1 to about 4.5, but also to include individual numerals such as 2, 3, 4, and sub-ranges such as 1 to 3, 2 to 4, etc. The same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value, such as “less than about 4.5,” which should be interpreted to include all of the above-recited values and ranges. Further, such an interpretation should apply regardless of the breadth of the range or the characteristic being described.

Any steps recited in any method or process claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented in the claims. Means-plus-function or step-plus-function limitations will only be employed where for a specific claim limitation all of the following conditions are present in that limitation: a) “means for” or “step for” is expressly recited; and b) a corresponding function is expressly recited. The structure, material or acts that support the means-plus function are expressly recited in the description herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined solely by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the descriptions and examples given herein.

Although items such as a bottle (e.g., for water or a sports drink), a towel, a wallet, a purse, a mobile device (e.g., a phone or a tablet), keys, etc. may be effectively carried in a gym bag, backpack, or other type of duffel bag, such items carried in such bags can be difficult to locate, access, and/or use. In addition, bags that include a dedicated bottle holder are often large or bulky and therefore cumbersome to carry on many activities, such as a simple visit to the gym, attendance at a sports event, or the like. Other bottle holders, on the other hand, are very minimalistic and lack storage or carrying capacity for certain additional items, such as a towel or extra clothing that may be taken to the gym. Some bags that may be otherwise suitable for the task may include bottle holders that are designed to fit a very specific size of bottle and cannot accommodate or securely hold a bottle of a different size.

Accordingly, a bag for a beverage bottle is disclosed that can securely carry a variety of differently sized bottles. In one aspect, the bag can include an appropriate size and amount of storage accommodations for a trip to the gym. The bag can include a bottle compartment and a bottle stabilizer in the bottle compartment. The bottle compartment can have a bottom surface and one or more side walls at least partially defining a vertically oriented opening operable to receive a beverage bottle. The one or more side walls can have a bottom end proximate the bottom surface and a top end opposite the bottom end. The bottle stabilizer can have a bottle interface portion configured to interface with a side of the beverage bottle. The bottle stabilizer can be coupled to at least one of the one or more side walls such that the bottle interface portion is positioned between the top and bottom ends of the one or more side walls to interface with the lateral side of the beverage bottle when a bottom of the beverage bottle is in contact with the bottom surface of the bottle compartment.

Bag for a Beverage Bottle

With reference to FIGS. 1-10 , a bag 100 for a beverage bottle is illustrated in accordance with an example of the present disclosure. The bag 100 can include a bottle compartment 110. The bottle compartment 110 can have a bottom surface 111. The bottom surface can have any suitable shape or configuration. In the illustrated example, the bottom surface has a rectangular (e.g., square) configuration. The bottle compartment 110 can also have one or more side walls 112 a-d at least partially defining a vertically oriented opening 113 operable to receive a beverage bottle 101. The side walls can have a bottom end 114 proximate the bottom surface 111 and a top end 115 opposite the bottom end. Any number of side walls can be included. In the illustrated example, bottle compartment 110 includes four side walls (e.g., one side wall for each side of the bottom surface 111). Thus configured, the bottle compartment can have a rectangular cuboid configuration, as shown in the illustrated example. Generally, the bottle compartment can be free of any top cover or closure such that the top of the bottle compartment remain open and exposed.

The bottle compartment can be constructed of any suitable material, such as nylon, canvas, closed-cell foam, open-cell foam, plastic, etc. The bottle compartment can also be of any suitable size or dimension. In one aspect, a width of the bottle compartment (e.g., of the bottom surface 111 or a side wall 112 a-d) can be from about 3 inches to about 6 inches. In another aspect, a height of the bottle compartment (e.g., of a side wall 112 a-d) can be from about 5 inches to about 10 inches. However, other dimensions may also be suitable.

The bag 100 can also include a bottle stabilizer 120 in the bottle compartment 110. The bottle stabilizer 120 can have a bottle interface portion 121 configured to interface with a side of the beverage bottle 101. In general, the bottle stabilizer can be configured to provide stability to an upper portion (e.g., a top half) of the bottle 101 to minimize the chance that the bottle would tip over within the bottle compartment as the bag 100 is being carried. The bottle stabilizer 120 can be coupled to at least one of the side walls such that the bottle interface portion is positioned between the top and bottom ends of the side walls to interface with the lateral side (e.g., an upper portion) of the beverage bottle 101 when a bottom of the beverage bottle is in contact with the bottom surface of the bottle compartment 110. The bottle stabilizer can be coupled to one or more of the side walls in any suitable manner, such as with hook and loop fastener, snap, button, tack, weld, rivet, zipper, etc. In one aspect, the bottle stabilizer 120 can be removably coupled to at least one of the side walls. Such a removable coupling can be of any suitable type. For example, the bottle stabilizer 120 can be removably coupled to at least one of the side walls with a hook and loop fastener. In one aspect, a vertical coupling position of the bottle stabilizer 120 with at least one of the side walls can be variable to accommodate different bottle sizes (e.g. heights). The bottle stabilizer can be coupled to any suitable portion of any suitable number of side walls. In the illustrated example, the bottle stabilizer is coupled to upper portions of two side walls 112 a, 112 b, which are located opposite one another about the bottom surface 111. The coupling configuration for the bottle stabilizer with one or more of the side walls can be selected to provide adequate support and stability for the bottle stabilizer when in support of the bottle. In another option, the bottle stabilizer can include a draw string about the opening to allow for adjustability.

The bottle interface portion 121 can have any suitable shape or configuration to interface with the bottle 101 and provide stability for the bottle. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 , the bottle interface portion can define a triangular shaped opening to receive the beverage bottle. In other examples, the bottle interface portion can define a circular shaped opening, a slit, or any other suitable shape for interfacing with a bottle. Generally the opening can provide stability support against at least three evenly spaced radial directions of tilt. In one aspect, the bottle interface portion can be flexible to enable deflection of the bottle interface portion by the bottle such that the bottle interface portion can conform to the bottle.

In one aspect, the bottle stabilizer 120 can include a web or flange 122 that can provide support for the bottle interface portion. In some examples, the web or flange 122 can be flexible to provide compliant support for the bottle interface portion to enable the bottle interface portion to deflect and conform around the bottle. The bottle interface portion 121 and/or the web 122 can be made of any suitable material or construction to provide these attributes. In one aspect, the bottle interface portion 121 and/or the web 122 can be made of a flexible or non-rigid material in a suitable form, such as nylon, neoprene, and/or rubber in a sheet or fabric form. In one aspect, the web 122 can be horizontally oriented to provide a sufficient degree lateral stiffness in the horizontal direction to support or stabilize the bottle while remaining flexible to accommodate deformation by the bottle. In another aspect, the web 122 can be taut between the side walls to which it is attached (e.g., the side walls 112 a, 112 b) sufficient to generally eliminate looseness or slack in the material in order to provide a degree of lateral stiffness.

In one aspect, the bag 100 can include one or more storage compartments 130-135 coupled to the bottle compartment 110. The storage compartments 130-135 can have any suitable configuration and can be adapted for any suitable purpose or use. For example, the compartments 130-135 can include a mesh storage compartment, a zippered storage compartment, a transparent storage compartment, an elastic storage compartment, etc. In the illustrated example, the storage compartment 130 on one side of the bottle compartment 110 can include a transparent material, which can enable viewing a screen of a mobile device 102 when in the storage compartment 130. The storage compartment 131 can be located adjacent or proximate to the storage compartment 130 and can be configured to hold a pen, pencil, or a stylus 103. The storage compartment 132 on another side of the bottle compartment 110 can include a zippered opening and can be configured to contain articles of clothing, such as workout clothing and/or shoes. The storage compartment 133 on yet another side of the bottle compartment 110 can include an open top, which can accommodate a relatively large or bulky item, such as a towel 104. In one aspect, the storage compartment 133 can include a mesh material to provide ventilation for the compartment contents. In another aspect, a top edge of the storage compartment 133 can include an elastic material that tends to constrict the opening of the storage compartment 133 to help maintain the contents within the storage compartment 133. Optionally, a drawstring closure can be used along the top edge to provide constriction or closure of the storage compartment 133. In another option, storage compartment 133 can include a closure flap which can be secure via any suitable fastener such as, but not limited to, snaps, buttons, hook and loop fastener, buckle, and the like.

The storage compartment 134 on another side of the bottle compartment 110 can include an open top and can be configured to accommodate a relatively flat item, such as a book 105, a folder, a notepad, etc. The storage compartment 135 can be located on the same side of the bottle compartment 110 as the storage compartment 134. The storage compartment 135 can be located outboard of the storage compartment 134. The storage compartment 135 can include a zippered opening and can be configured to contain articles of clothing, such as workout clothing, a wallet, a purse, etc. In one aspect, at least some of the storage compartments 130-125 can be located about a lateral perimeter of the bottle compartment 110 (e.g., at least one of the compartments 130-135 located adjacent each one of the side walls 112 a-d). In another option, one or more storage compartments can be oriented within the bottle compartment. For example one or two slot pockets can be oriented along an inner wall of the bottle compartment to allow for storage of papers, a thin smartphone, notepad, etc. Such inner pockets can be open (i.e. having no closure) or closable (e.g. zippered, hook and loop, snap, etc.).

The storage compartments can optionally be distributed symmetrically about the bottle compartment. Furthermore, in some cases the bottle compartment can be within about 5% of square (i.e. length is within 5% of depth). This results in a bag 100 having a substantially square cuboid bottle compartment as a primary portion of the bag, while the side storage compartments are limited in size to less than half the volume (50%) of the bottle compartment, and generally less than about 25%, and often less than 15% in volume compared to the bottle compartment.

In one aspect, the bag 100 can include a carrying strap 140. The carrying strap 140 can be coupled to any suitable portion or structure of the bag 100. As shown in the illustrated example, the carrying strap 140 can be coupled to the bottle compartment 110. In a particular aspect, the carrying strap 140 can be coupled to an upper portion of the bottle compartment (e.g., at the top end 115 of the side walls 112 c, 112 d). The carrying strap can be coupled to the bottle compartment in any suitable manner and utilizing any suitable hardware known in the art (e.g., D-rings, clips, etc.). In one aspect, the upper portion of the bottle compartment can extend to a greater height than the storage compartments 130-135. This can provide unobstructed access to the bottle compartment as well as unhindered movement and positioning of the carrying strap 140 while carrying the bag 100. The carrying strap can be constructed of any suitable material (e.g., nylon webbing) and can include any suitable feature known in the art (e.g., a shoulder grip/pad, swivels, adjustable length, etc.).

As particularly illustrated in FIG. 5 , a restricted opening 142 can be oriented in an upper surface of a side compartment. The restricted opening can allow passage of, for example, waste bags, power cords, earphone wires, and the like. In another alternative, a non-permeable insert can be sized to fit within at least one of the side compartment 132, and the storage compartments 133, 134, and 135. The non-permeable insert can be used to store pet waste, feces, or other noxious materials while minimizing odor dispersal during use and impregnation of odor into the bag material after use. The non-permeable insert can be formed of any suitable rigid or flexible material which is non-porous and prevents escape of odors when closed. The non-permeable insert can also have a closure mechanism (e.g. locking zipper, hook and loop fastener, folding closure, etc). In one example, the insert can be formed of a semi-rigid material which maintains a shape of the compartment.

As shown in FIG. 8 , an optional drain opening 144 can be oriented along the bottom panel of the bag 100. This can allow fluids to drain out more easily in the event of a spill.

The foregoing detailed description describes the invention with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. However, it will be appreciated that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. The detailed description and accompanying drawings are to be regarded as merely illustrative, rather than as restrictive, and all such modifications or changes, if any, are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention as described and set forth herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bag for a beverage bottle, comprising: a bottle compartment having a bottom surface and one or more side walls at least partially defining a vertically oriented opening operable to receive a beverage bottle, the one or more side walls having a bottom end proximate the bottom surface and a top end opposite the bottom end; and a bottle stabilizer in the bottle compartment having a bottle interface portion configured to interface with a side of the beverage bottle, wherein the bottle stabilizer is coupled to at least one of the one or more side walls such that the bottle interface portion is positioned between the top and bottom ends of the one or more side walls to interface with a lateral side of the beverage bottle when a bottom of the beverage bottle is in contact with the bottom surface of the bottle compartment.
 2. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bottle stabilizer is removably coupled to the at least one of the one or more side walls.
 3. The bag of claim 2, wherein the bottle stabilizer is removably coupled to the at least one of the one or more side walls with a hook and loop fastener.
 4. The bag of claim 2, wherein a vertical coupling position of the bottle stabilizer between the top and bottom ends of the one or more side walls is variable.
 5. The bag of claim 1, wherein the one or more side walls comprises four side walls, and the bottle stabilizer is coupled to two side walls.
 6. The bag of claim 5, wherein the two side walls are located opposite one another about the bottom surface.
 7. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bottle interface portion defines a triangular shaped opening to receive the beverage bottle.
 8. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bottle interface portion comprises at least one of a nylon fabric, neoprene, or rubber.
 9. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the bottle compartment has a rectangular configuration.
 10. The bag of claim 9, wherein the rectangular configuration is a square configuration.
 11. The bag of claim 10, wherein the bottle compartment comprises a rectangular cuboid configuration.
 12. The bag of claim 1, further comprising one or more storage compartments coupled to the bottle compartment.
 13. The bag of claim 12, wherein the one or more storage compartments comprises at least one of a mesh storage compartment, a zippered storage compartment, a transparent storage compartment, or an elastic storage compartment.
 14. The bag of claim 12, wherein the one or more storage compartments are oriented on outer surfaces of the bottle compartment.
 15. The bag of claim 12, wherein the one or more storage compartments each have a volume less than 50% of a volume of the bottle compartment.
 16. The bag of claim 1, further comprising a carrying strap.
 17. The bag of claim 16, wherein the carrying strap is coupled to the bottle compartment.
 18. The bag of claim 17, wherein the carrying strap is coupled to an upper portion of the bottle compartment.
 19. The bag of claim 18, wherein an upper portion of the bottle compartment extends to a greater height than the one or more storage compartments.
 20. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bottle compartment is free of a top closure. 